Royal Visitors.

After the weekend of special events to mark the Queens Diamond Jubilee, have we ever had a Royal Visit to the station or a Royal connection?

To start with HRH The Prince of Wales is an honorary Commodore of HM Coastguard and was for a number of years a Coastguard himself.  Whilst he visits Dorset he hasn't visited the station yet.

The only connection we are aware of, is a visit by  HRH The Duke of Kent in his role as Patron of the RNLI, when he named the Swanage Lifeboat in 1975. 

 I am told that having named the J. Reginald-Corah he returned to his helicopter on the pad at Peveril Point and diverted to visit the Coastguard look out.  The Coastguard had formed a Guard of Honour and the Duke wanted to say thank you.  It rather caught the Coastguards out who were having a spot of tea using the best china.   With the Duke approaching, the shout went up and the decks cleared of cups and plates which ended up in the water tank attached to the lookout!